Protocol
by Olivecat
Summary: When on a mission to a dead zone of a planet, York and Carolina are assumed dead. With no way back and on a planet that doesn't sing the praises of the UNSC York and Carolina have to adapt and decide if they will continue to find a way home or make this new planet their home. (York/Carolina)
1. Mission Start

**Hi so I have had this idea for a while and it is actually completely written out so I plan to publish a chapter every two weeks on the weekend. I am open for suggestions as I revise the pieces. I want to for warn you that I have my own idea of how AI's work so if I go against the actual plot I apologize. I am also sorry if the characters are sometimes OOC. This starts somewhere during season 9 before things fell apart but after Tex showed up.**

* * *

"Agents Texas, Carolina, New York, Maine, Connecticut, Wyoming, Florida, Washington, and, North and South Dakota Please report to the bridge." Carolina frowned as she looked at the intercom above her. Why call so many? "Any idea why he's called everyone?" York asked as he fell in step with her.

"No idea." She said trying to push the voices into a small dark corner. Unfortunately it was not working. Ada and Iota were whispering too fast for her to understand.

"You okay?

"I'm fine" She grit out as the doors slid open. All of her team was there standing around the holo-table. The director consulting the counselor a little way off. Carolina did a quick head , Maine, Wash, Wyoming, Florida, North, South, and unfortunately Tex. Everyone was there. She walked up to the director . "Sir the team is assembled."

"Agents we have intel that the insurgents are building a large base on this isolated planet." A jungle covered planet appeared. "This is Sherman XI a tiny colony of 700 people just outside of UNSC satellite reach. You can see how this is a favorable place for the insurrectionist." The director said in his southern drawl. The counselor continued the briefing saying,

"Your mission is to destroy the insurrectionist base and clear out any left over afterwards."

"You are dismissed." barked the director.

All the freelancers headed for the pelican bay where 479er was yelling at a marine.

Carolina climbed in the pelicans co-pilot seat. "Ada calculate the trips time. Iota plot a course." And for a few blessed seconds there was silence.

"Carolina I have plotted-"

"Carolina I have calculated-"

"Both of you shut up! Go one at a time. Iota you first."

"I have plotted a suitable course, Agent Carolina."

"Good now you Ada."

"The trip will take 8.23 hours and 15 seconds if we keep to UNSC protocol."

"Good. that's good. Remember how you reported because that's how I want you two to do it if I give you both jobs." Maybe it would ease the head aches.

"You ready?" 479'er asked looking back her voice was slightly concerned having heard the exchange between Carolina and the AIs

For the second time that day and the millionth that month Carolina snapped back "I'm fine."

* * *

Wyoming and Florida scouted the lay out. They shot several guards clearing the way for the others. Maine and Wash took the motor pool while York and Carolina carried the bomb. The others were working on other parts of the mission.

"Give me a this" York said crouching. Carolina sighed and straightened. "Done they don't have much in the way of security do they?" York asked as he finished priming the bomb. But as he looked up he trailed off. Carolina sighed and pulled her pistols off her armor.

"You just had to say something didn't you, York?" as twenty guards pounded across the room to them. York pulled his rifle off his back as Carolina charged the guards shooting with surprising accuracy if you didn't know Carolina. When she was out of bullets she turned to hand to hand combat punching and kicking and in some cases Turning the soldiers guns on themselves. York provided back up taking out any guards that when for Carolina's back or coming at him though they were more focused on the teal soldier to be honest she was the one kicking their asses after all. but soon it was over the twenty men lay at the two freelancers feet. York and Carolina looked at each other and both knew that the other was smiling. Then Carolina glanced at the bomb. "York how long on the bomb?" The euphoria from the fight was gone. York rushed over and checked the display.

"Shit RUN!" York yelled spinning and pushing Carolina, both breaking into sprints.

"_All freelancers evac now!" _Carolina shouted into her com, praying that everyone had already gotten out. She and York were suppose to radio when the charge was set for five minutes but the guards had delayed them. Then the bomb went off and Carolina felt herself blown forward by the blast and then everything went dark.

* * *

North frowned as he looked at the near empty base. Carolina and York had not radioed in when they were suppose to but everyone had been finished and had gotten out. "_All freelancers Evac now!" _Carolina sounded breathless and almost panicked. He hadn't heard her use that tone since York's accident. Then the base had exploded. "That didn't sound good."

"They are grown ups, North they will be fine." South told him not unkindly, unusual for her.

"What do you think happened?" Wash asked. the weakest member of the squad sounded a little panicked. The other freelancers shifted looking to North unsure what to do and worried about what had become of their squad leader and her lieutenant.

North turned on his coms "_Carolina? York? Delta? Ada, Iota? Anyone please respond. _ Theta can you get any kind of signal from them?" his little red and blue AI appeared at his shoulder.

"No, I'm sorry North."

* * *

**Well that was the first chapter. Review! I also plan to add a bit of what was going on around me when I was writing the story the first time. I was writing this during summer camp and I had some weird cabin mates.**

**" I hear it again!" A girl shrieks before jumping out of the bed.**

**"What?" A bunch of us asked**

**"It sounded like a spider!"**

**"Spiders don't make noises." The girl in the bunk under me said.**

**"No wait I hear it too! I am scared." Another girl on the other side of the cabin said. "It sounds huge!" **

**" Here climb in my bed." Another girl said.**

**I watched the two girl crawl into a lower bunk. It was only the third night and in eight years of going to this camp I had never seen people share a bed. But whatever. It would be a less than pleasant night for them what with the bed being only 2.5 by 5.5 and the mattress, a foam pad about an inch thick. Just as the girls got comfortable and the rest of us stopped laughing a councilor came in.**

**"There are three girls in that bed and two need to get out." She said before turning around and walking out. We all burst out laughing though the next night the "Spider" could still be heard though I never saw anything.**


	2. MIA

Hi,

So sorry to everyone who tried to read this yesterday and got a bunch of random code. Thank you to the people who reviewed and told me about this. And to Jaden Silver, for pointing out that it is not Ada but Eta. "_This is an AI talking." This is a person thinking._

* * *

Carolina the voices whispered gently; a rare thing. She was so use to them screaming in her head.

"Think, what you are doing?"

"Be stronger."

"You are the leader take back your place."

But in this dark space they were quiet in a way they had never been before. Not silent but less than a buzz. Carolina felt fully in control of her head for the first time in a long time.

"Eta Iota?" The soft voices were gone and they were back to the mind numbing buzz broken by the occasional screech when one didn't agree with the other. Carolina tried to hold on to the control she had felt before but it slipped just out of her reach. "Iota where am I?"

"Under a wall and buried under ten feet of ruble."

"How long have I been under here?"

"Three days your armor is almost completely drained. The recovery beacon and radio were damaged by the explosion." Eta responded.

The humming was getting worse. Carolina tried to shut it out but that old trick no longer worked. Panic rose in her as she lay immobile, unable to breathe normally, and with almost no chance of rescue. The squad wouldn't have been able to stay for long. Thinking about the squad reminded her of York.

"Ada what happened to York?"

"He is on top of you. The explosion knocked him over. He was likely the reason you survived."

Was the reason? her heart raced, he couldn't be gone. It was all her fault

"Hey you make it sound like I am dead."

A voice said just above her shoulder sounded both amused and indignant.

York, Carolina tried to twist to see him.

"Easy Carolina don't want to cave in the whole space even more."

York's comment froze Carolina reminding her of their situation. The buzzing and panic rose up.

"How are we going to get out of here York."

"Try to roll to the side I think we can crawl through the gaps made by the walls."

With great effort Carolina managed to crawl out from under York. He dropped into the place she had been with a shower of dust. Being able to see York was soothing; giving her a focus point to help shut out the AIs. Looking around the tiny space Carolina could see what could still be their tomb. They barely had space to lie side by side. But there was a gap to Carolina's right that she estimated was just big enough for them to crawl through on all fours. She was ready to get out of this hell hole.

* * *

York was relieved when Delta told him that Carolina was relatively alright. Because nobody could be completely fine after what they had just been through. As Carolina started through the maze of ruble York realized just how much he loved the healing unit which had gotten him back to almost full health and had nourish him for the three days they had been buried. As they crawled through the labyrinth of ruble York was kept busy trying not to look at Carolina's ass which was not the easiest thing. In fact he was so busy not looking that he crashed into it.

"York touch me again and I will break your other eye." she growled.

Carolina crawled forward and stood up almost shakily. York followed and stood looking at the cave system stretching out in front of them.

"Great now we are lost under ground." Carolina had only sounded this frustrated when Texas beat her at something.

"We will find a way out." York said optimistically. "We came through a door so this has to be a exit of some kind otherwise they would have just sealed it off." Carolina nodded and they set off. They waked along for half an hour walking into dead ends and going in circles but eventually they found a narrow gap in the rocks and were out into the daylight. they stood enjoying the sun for a minute. "what's our next move Carolina?" York asked looking out into the woods they had emerged. There was only a footpath that looked like it had not been used in years.

"find a radio, get in contact with the project, go back to our lives." She said with as much confidence as she ever had and he would have believed her if it weren't for the fact that she had only three very vague steps as to how to get back. Oh and the fact that she collapsed the moment she took a step forward. York sighed and knelt down beside her and started to undo the clips of her armor. This greatly distressed Delta.

"York what are you doing? That is hardly appropriate."

"She collapsed Delta. I need to make sure she is okay. Besides I can't carry her and the armor. Tag the coordinates and I'll come back for them later." When Carolina's armor was safely stashed in one of the off shoots of the cave system, York picked up Carolina and started down the overgrown footpath.

* * *

Sorry it's short but I recently got hit with the boom while sailing. Thanks to those who reviewed/followed/favorited. Please review.

Olivecat


	3. Day One

**So sorry about the delay. I don't own anything.**

* * *

Carolina woke up slowly. Her head was fuzzy but she felt comfortable swaying slightly, a breeze on her face. Carolina's eyes snapped open and she twisted out of York's arms with a yell and kicked him in the chest. This would normally knock him flat but this time end with her falling to the ground with a throbbing foot. "York what the hell!"

"Sorry Carolina but you passed out and you were to heavy with the armor."

"So you took it off? Why not just let me wake up! Where is it? Don't tell me you let it just laying there."

"It's safe we can go back for it later. I was more worried about finding people. Delta says there is a town another mile up the path." York said quickly hoping to at least keep the redhead from yelling.

"Fine let's go maybe we can get off this god forsaken planet." With that Carolina whipped around and stalked down the path York dutifully following behind. They walked in silence for a while following the winding foot path through the dense forest. When they started to hear sounds of human activity they crouched crawling till they reached the edge of the forest.

The small settlement they looked out on, could barley be more than thirty buildings. People walked up and down the streets going in and out of shops and cafes. Carolina sincerely hoped they were not insurrectionist friendly as they were in desperate need of food and water. After watching for a while York and Carolina decided that it was probably worth the risk to go down there, but first they pulled off York's armor.

"Jeesh Carolina if I had known you were this devoted to seeing me out of armor I would have agreed when we were on the ship" York said jokingly as Carolina determinately pried one of his trickier back pieces off.

"York?"

"Yes boss?"

"Shut up before I do something I might regret later." Carolina's fingers froze just as she pulled the back piece away. Her head whipped around and she looking into the woods. Putting the piece down and picking up her buzz baton slowly stalking towards the woods. Other than a few moving leaves there was nothing just a sheet of metal on the ground. Carolina kicked it and it shifted revealing a small gap. "York come here for a minute.

"what?" he asked leaning over next to her to peer in the hole. Carolina pulled out a dirty cloth drawstring bag.

"Found something." She reached in and pulled out several large coins. The writing was in a different language but it was obviously money and from the year on the face current.

"Looks like we won't have to scrounge to much." York muttered looking deeper in the bag at the large assortment of change. Carolina nodded and pulled out a fistful of coins sorting through to get a large variety of each kind. She left a good amount into the bag. At York's questioning look she explained "Whomever left it here probably needs it to. plus if we need more we can come back for it later." York nodded before straitening.

Now with money in hand they walked out into the town staying on the edges. Carolina saw a woman in a yard hanging up laundry. People still did that? It had been unusual in the twenty first century. Now that she looked closer Carolina realized that the city looked like it had only seen some of the advancements in modern technology. People had cell phones but they looked like ones that had been around several decades ago and the architecture it's self looked like it had come from the twenty second century. "They really take the whole isolation thing seriously."York muttered in Carolina's ear. "No kidding" she replied.

Then getting her self together and putting on a expressionless face Carolina walked to a small store off the main road that had clothes in the window. Inside the woman at the counter looked up startled by their presence. "Quam serviatis vobis?"

"Clothes?" Carolina tried

"Quod?" She looked puzzled and a little nervous. Carolina turned away and started to look at the clothes. The clothes looked normal enough. Carolina picked up a shirt and pants gesturing for York to do the same. He quickly grabbed clothes and they brought them up to the woman who looked at them with both suspicion as if she thought they were going to run off with the clothes and fear that they were about to rob her. Carolina pushed the clothes towards her and pulled out some money. The woman rung up their purchases "sexiginta" Carolina glanced at the coins trying to figure what _sexiginta_ was. The woman reached out and gently pulled six of the large coins out of her hand and handed her a receipt. Carolina and York walked out of the store and back towards the forest a little ways so as to be less noticeable.

"York turn around." Carolina said once they were out of sight of the village.

"What why?" he asked his head wiping around in search of danger.

"Because I am not going to change with you standing there." York's face reddened and he looked away. Carolina was glad he was not going to make a comment right now. "Hey York did Delta figure out what language that woman was speaking?" Carolina could hear the rustling of fabric as York to changed into the new clothes.

"He says that it sounds a lot like twenty-first century English to him but he says the likelihood of there being an entire colony speaking a dialect that has been dead of several centuries is pretty much zero."

"Well it certainly not the English we speak." Once they both had changed they headed back into the village. People stared at them even dressed like civilians. Carolina pretended they weren't and moved to a small café pulling out a seat and sitting down. York sat across from her. A young man placed menus in front of them and darted off immediately. blearily their plan to blend in was clearly failing. Carolina sighed as she opened the menu. It was in that other language. York leaned across the table and said quietly "The AI can translate most languages have Eta or Iota translate for you and tell you the words to say." Carolina internally groaned she didn't like using the AIs more than possible. Delta seemed to never give York any trouble but Eta and Iota were always giving her headaches. _Eta you mind translating the menu?_ Translating now came Eta's soft voice. Carolina looked down the list absentmindedly, she still couldn't understand anything but it helped a bit with the headache Eta gave her. Pullum pulmenti, Carolina almost missed Eta's response trying to get a grip on the headache.

The waiter came back and said something in the old English. "Pullum pulmenti" Carolina said he nodded and looked at York who after a second said simply "idem" The boy tapped on his tablet and then disappeared back in the café.

" What are you getting?" Carolina asked

"I have absolutely no idea but it is the same thing as your's" York replied

"Idem?"

"Delta says that it means the same."

Pullum pulmenti turned out to be chicken soup, a welcome meal after what they had just been through. It had been ages since Carolina had chicken soup, she used to have it when her mother was home but that had been rare and when she was little.

After they had paid which had taken a little bit of gesturing on everyone's part, York and Carolina headed out of town down a road that was aptly called Rus Via or country road. The money they had found was not going to last and they need jobs that wouldn't require a lot of talking. They had not been able to find a satellite that would be able to travel across space and the internet routers were apparently not strong enough ether from what they had seen walking around town. They would need some kind of home base to wait for ether the freelancers to find them or a transport to come, but they didn't know when that would be. Therefore becoming hired hands sounded like the best move for the moment. They were both strong from training and possibly working on the farm would keep them at least partially in shape.

The first farms they came to were nether friendly nor in need of two more sets of hands. The sun was starting to set and the two were considering where to spend the night, back in the forest, on the road, in a field, or back in the village. There was one last farm along the road that they could see. They walked up expecting nothing different that the response they had gotten on the other farms. As they approached the porch they saw a old man sitting in a rocking chair enjoying the mild night. Two children burst out of the house, the screen door banging against the wall "Grandpa Jamie stole my book!" The girl cried indignantly in perfect English as York and Carolina knew it. The old man sighed and smiled at the two children. "Jamie give Ella her book and how about both of you go looking of fireflies they come out during this time of night you know." Both children stopped their squabble and disappeared back into the house with the loudest racquet ether freelancer had ever heard. "Quisque estis?" The man asked us as we approached. "twenty-fifth century English please." Carolina said as she approached. In a instant the man had a guarded look on his face . Carolina knew what he was thinking. "We're not insurrectionists. We are members of the UNSC who are stranded here and in search of work till a transport come this way." This made the old man laugh.

"Well you certainly are not from here. And to us there ain't much different between a UNSC soldier and an insurrectionist." Carolina bit her lip hard so as not to go on a rant "The last transport ship that was not insurrectionist and what ever you are was fifty years ago when my wife and I came here to get away from the rest of humanity." Carolina and York shared a look if the last ship had been fifty years ago and only because this man wanted to come here that they were stuck for a long time.

"In that case do you need two more sets of hands?" York asked laying on the charm. The man inspected them both

"Be here at six sharp I'll give you both a denarii every week and a share of what you harvest. It' ant much but we are working folk. I'll even throw in language lessons and you can sleep in the barn till you get other housing arrangements sorted out." Carolina and York both agreed immediately. Finally they were getting some where and found someone willing to teach them the local language. Not bad for the first day.

* * *

**Like? Hate? tell me. The whole language thing is that the people of Sherman 9 have been in isolation for so long they ****no longer**** speak like ****everyone**** else. The old ****English**** phrases are in ****Latin**** because if I wrote it in ****normal****English**** you would probably think York and Carolina can't understand their own language. So yes a bit backwards but ****hopefully**** you get the point. Also I will be away from a computer for four weeks so don't expect an update till August. Also thank you to everyone who reviews/follows/favorites it really makes my day. I will have email till Sunday afternoon so if you review before then I will respond to you before I leave, otherwise it will be a while. Have a good summer. P.s. People who tell me about mistakes point them out don't tell me I have errors because I can't find them on my own.**

**Olivecat**


End file.
